Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research
Ethics approval processes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health exist to ensure that research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is conducted in an ethical and culturally appropriate manner. However, despite the existence of longstanding guidelines and a national commitment to uphold and promote ethical research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, there remains continued concern that current ethics approval processes do not fully uphold key values and principles, fail to adequately incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and input, and do not ensure adequate representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices.
Our 2024 discussion paper, Ethics in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research, identified a suite of reforms needed to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research is conducted to the highest ethical and governance standards, with the greatest impact on improving health outcomes for our communities.
Developed by Associate Professor Michelle Kennedy (Wiradjuri) and Dr Jamie Bryant, the paper presents key findings from a scoping review of academic and grey literature that aimed to identify key gaps in ethical processes and practices for health research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Lowitja Institute commissioned this discussion paper based on Associate Professor Kennedy’s work leading the Murru Minya study – a national study that aims to develop new knowledge about the implementation of ethical processes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research, and to issue practical recommendations to strengthen research processes, build the research workforce and ultimately improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
We called on universities, research institutes, research funders, and relevant government agencies in all jurisdictions to implement the recommendations put forward in this discussion paper. Doing so would move us closer to a research landscape that respects, upholds, and promotes the ethical principles and values that are essential when conducting research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Our June 2025 discussion paper, Keeping Research on Track? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Accounts of Ethical Conduct in Health and Medical Research, was prepared by A/Prof Kennedy and Felicity Collis (Gomeroi) for Lowitja Institute in partnership with the Aboriginal communities who have invested their time and expert knowledges to the continual advocacy and collective drive towards improved outcomes for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Ahead of the 4th International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference, 50 participants were invited to attend a face-to-face roundtable, with representation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers, ethics committee members, and community controlled organisations. This event built upon the recommendations at an earlier (2024) ethics roundtable, to continue to influence and enhance ethical research conduct in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and medical research. This second roundtable focused specifically on informing the development of a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Medical Research Ethics Committee (NATSIHREC), which will be situated within Lowitja Institute. Key stakeholders came together on Kaurna Country to discuss governance models, operational considerations, and implementation strategies for the proposed national committee. The event report (published in October 2025) outlines the historical context, event proceedings, key discussions, and recommendations that emerged. It provides a roadmap for the continued development of the NATSIHREC, which aims to address significant gaps in current ethical governance structures while complementing existing state-based Aboriginal Human Research Ethics Committees (AHRECs).
As part of the main conference program, Felicity and Michelle also led the panel session ‘My mob is my ethics’: community calls to action on their rights to best practice ethical research. This panel also featured Ashley Councillor (Pilbara Aboriginal Health Alliance); June Councillor (Wirraka Maya Health Service Aboriginal Corporation); Dot Bagshaw (Edith Cowan University); Jackie Oakley (Wungening Aboriginal Corporation); and Mary Kyle, Kayleen Jackson, and Sheanah Ludwick (Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services Aboriginal Corporation).
Together, these panellists explored their experiences of health and medical research and how they are being operationalised in communities, as well as their calls to action on how research systems can transform into the future to safeguard Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights in research.
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